Track Battle: BMW M2 versus Audi RS3 and A45 AMG – Video

Just earlier this week, the guys from Cars in South Africa put the BMW M2 up against its rivals on the track and found that …

Just earlier this week, the guys from Cars in South Africa put the BMW M2 up against its rivals on the track and found that the differences between them couldn’t have been smaller. This time, we’re greeted with nearly the same line-up by the guys from Car Advice in Australia but with a twist and a bit of a different result in the end.

The BMW M2 is the latest M model launched by the Bavarians. It has received stellar reviews but then again, its competition did the same and you’ll definitely have a hard time in choosing the perfect car for you if you’re looking for something with a power output between 350 and 400 HP. The BMW could have a disadvantage in the fact that’s only available in a Coupe variant.

Then again, this could prove to be its main advantage in front of its hatchbacks rivals – the Audi RS3 and the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG. The two couldn’t have been more similar. Both are hatches and both are available only with automatic gearboxes and all-wheel drive to help put down the power they make.

The A45 AMG has 381 HP and 475 Nm (350 lb-ft) of torque coming out of a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine while the Audi delivers 367 HP and 465 Nm (343 lb-ft) of torque out of a 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder unit. In straight-line performance, the A45 leads the pack with a time of 4.2 seconds to 100 km/h (62 mph) with the RS3 coming second with 4.3 seconds and the M2 last with 4.5 seconds, when fitted with a manual gearbox.

And that’s what sets the M car apart. It stays true to BMW’s pedigree and comes only in RWD guise and it’s the only one that can be had with a manual gearbox. That being said, the chances on the M2 beating these other two road-legal rockets seem to plummet.

Even so, against all odds, the Bimmer somehow manages to win this track test and does it by nearly a full second. That’s a considerably bigger difference than what the guys in South Africa found and their car was supposed to be faster thanks to its DCT transmission.